Bat With Rabies Identified by Health Officials in Washtenaw County For the First Time Since 2022; How Common Are Cases of Rabid Animals?

For the first time since 2022, a rabid bat was identified by health officials in Washtenaw County.

Rabid Bat in Washtenaw County

According to the Washtenaw County Health Department, the bat was discovered in the 48108 zip code. The county also says that so far, 13 bats have undergone testing this year.

Beth Ann Hamilton, the communications coordinator of the Washtenaw County Health Department (WCHD), wrote in an email to a news outlet that the case was reported first to the WCHD and that the bat was then sent to undergo rabies testing. Positive results were reported by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Lab just last week.

Ailen Velazquez, the epidemiology coordinator of the county, says that they were enjoying quite a longer stretch with no animals that tested positive for rabies. However, the presence of rabid bats within the county each year is not unusual. The coordinator adds that more bat encounters are typically seen during summer and fall. Hence, they want to remind everyone to reach out to the Health Department if a bat appears in anyone's home.

Rabid Animal Cases

Hamilton also notes that there have been similar cases in the past. For instance, seven rabid bats were identified in 2021, while there were six identified in 2022. They expect that there would be some cases every year, especially during the months of heightened bat activity.

This is why they urge everyone that if a bat happens to be in their home, they need to report the bat and not let it go until reaching out to the WCHD. Velazquez also notes that citizens should contact public health staff if they worry about potential exposure to rabies.

Since the year 2006, there have been over 50 bats that were found to be positive for rabies within the county. Data also reveals that there were eight skunks and at least one horse that tested positive in the past 18 years.

A case map covering the years 2011 to 2023 also shows that there were several rabid animals identified within the Ann Arbor area.

So far, as of May 1, there have been seven rabies-positive bats in Michigan this year. Two were found to be positive in Wayne County, while one bat tested positive in the counties of St. Clair and Lapeer.

Hamilton notes that, as of now, there have been no reported cases of human exposure to these rabies-positive bats.

Rabies

Rabies is a zoonotic, vaccine-preventable, and viral condition that generally affects the central nervous system. When symptoms show up, rabies virtually has a fatality rate of 100%. In as many as 99% of cases, domestic dogs account for spread to humans, though the infection can spread to both wild and domestic animals.

The condition is typically spread through saliva. This can be transmitted through direct contact, bites, or scratches.

Since rabies is a vaccine-preventable disease, it is generally recommended to vaccinate dogs, including puppie, in order to prevent transmission at the source. Moreover, for those who have high-risk occupations or who have activities that could involve exposure to bats or other mammals that can get infected, it is recommended to get Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).